Have you noticed how challenging it can sometimes be to make a decision? Often making the decision is harder than taking the action that results from the decision. A reason that we may struggle with decisions is because some part of us thinks if we decide one thing, we are going to lose or miss out on something else. To support you in feeling some freedom around decision making, I want to share with you a distinction between the words CHOICE and DECISION.

Notice how you feel inside when you think you have to decide something. Does it feel different from how you feel when you get to choose something? Many of us experience a lot more angst and inner conflict when we use the word decision. Why is that? Well look at the root word of decision: DECIDE. It contains the Latin root of “cide” which means to “cut down or kill.” Think of other words that contain cide: suicide, genocide, homicide, pesticide, etc. Why is this syntax distinction relevant? Well because the words we think and say have a lot of meaning to us, especially on the unconscious level – which is very significant! When we feel we have to decide something, some of the anxiety that comes forward has to do with the feeling that we are cutting or killing off something, therein creating more internal conflict. We often buy into the limiting belief that if we decide one thing, we will loose something else instead of seeing the bigger picture of how much we can actually gain from committing to a choice.

One way to work with this distinction is to use the words CHOOSE and CHOICE instead of decide and decision. Those words elicit more of a sense of freedom.

Happy Choosing!
Christine

To choose is also to begin.–Starhawk (Dreaming the Dark)

To decide to be at the level of choice, is to take responsibility for your life and to be in control of your life.–Arbie M. Dale